Project Summary
The primary goals of this project are to install the next generation Advanced Weather
Interactive Processing System (AWIPS II) Environmental Data Exchange (EDEX) server
and the Common AWIPS Visualization Environment (CAVE) clients, and to enhance the
ability to project high definition graphics in a weather analysis and forecasting classroom
settings.
The AWIPS II system will be widely used by forecasters at more than 130 weather
forecast offices and river forecast centers across the nation in the near future. As one of
the meteorology departments training our next generation forecasters, it is useful to have
the AWIPS II system installed in our classroom. Students, therefore, will be able to
utilize the state-of-the-art AWIPS II system for learning and conducting weather briefing
as well as to better prepare themselves as future meteorologists in weather forecast
offices or other agencies. Currently, the department of Meteorology and Climate Science
at SJSU is running LDM and is also feeding data to the Naval Research Lab in Monterey
and to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. We
also provide backup IDD service to the University of Arizona, Stanford University, Fleet
Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center, and Naval Postgraduate School. A
newer LDM server installed in 2011, which has sufficient power to create GEMPAK and
IDV products used in our classes as well as for public access. Adding the AWIPS II
server and client will enhance our capacity to better utilizing all different datasets from
Unidata as well as local generated datasets (e.g., fire weather data and local high
resolution modeling data) for our classes.
In addition to AWIPS II server and client, we would also want to upgrade our classroom
projection system to accommodate high-resolution graphics created by Unidata products.
Our current projector purchased in 2002 that has very limited capability. In a classroom
setting, it would be needed to display graphics in full resolution for instructional
purposes. In recent years, projection systems have improved so that they can better
accommodate these high-resolution graphics tools such that the instructor should be able
to demonstrate the full power of AWIPS II. This will also benefit all classes that display
Unidata products and/or numerical model outputs. It will also enable instructors to
project the full real estate of their laptops or iPads.
Overall, it is anticipated that adding the AWIPS II EDEX server, CAVE clients, and a
new projector in our computer/multimedia classroom will enhance the learning
environment for our undergrad and graduate meteorological education. The intended
applications of the new equipment include the traditional meteorological curriculum,
such as synoptic and weather analysis (METR 171), weather briefing (METR 170),
mesoscale (METR 173), remote sensing (METR 155) and tropical meteorology (METR
165). Additionally, other government agencies in the Bay Area can also connect to the
EDEX server in our department.
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1. Project Description
A. Goals of the project
This proposal is aimed to install the next generation Advanced Weather Interactive
Processing System (AWIPS II) standalone Environmental Data Exchange (EDEX) server
and the Common AWIPS Visualization Environment (CAVE) clients, as well as to
upgrade a projector to accommodate high-resolution Unidata graphic products in a
weather analysis and forecasting classroom setting. Currently three refurbished PC Linux
machines are employed as one EDEX server and two CAVE clients for teaching and
weather briefing purposes. These machines are slower and freeze or stop responding
frequently. Moreover, our current projector has very limited resolution capability. In a
classroom setting, it will be needed to have better and stable EDEX server and CAVE
clients, as well as to display graphics in full resolution for instructional purposes. It is
anticipated that the new equipment will further enhance our capabilities, in teaching,
research and in community participation.
B. Details of equipment required
The proposed equipment consists of a single standalone EDEX server and 5 CAVE client
workstations. The configuration of the server and client are based on the Unidata
recommendation.
A Cybertron PC TSVCIA4341 is proposed for the EDEX server that includes:
• A Intel Xeon E3-1270 Processor (3.40GHz, 8M Cache, 80W, Max Mem
1066MHz)
• Centos Operating System
• 4 x 1TB Hard Drive, 7200 RPM, SATA
• 16 GB Memory (4x4GB), 1333MHz, DDR3, PC3
• 8X DVD RW Drive
• 400 Watt
The CAVE client is based on Asus Essentio Desktop standard base. It has:
• 4rd Gen Intel® Core™ i7-4770 Processor 3.40GHz, 8 MB cache
• 16GB, DDR3 UDIMM Memory, 1600MHz, non ECC (4 x 4GB DIMMs)
• ASUS 24” Monitors
• 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GT620
• 1 TB Hard Drive, 7200 RPM 3.5" SATA 6Gb/s Hard Drive
The projection display upgrade, we propose to purchase:
• BenQ W1070 1920x1080 DLP projector
C. Benefits to research and education
The Department of Meteorology and Climate Science at San Jose State University
(SJSU) is the only one of its kind in California offering an undergrad meteorology
degree. We provide students with an in-depth knowledge of the atmosphere and prepare
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them for careers in the atmospheric sciences. The department has been an active
participant in the Unidata community for many years. The courses will be able to take
advantage on AWIPS II include: Meteorology I and II (METR 60, 61), Aviation
Meteorology (METR 110), Dynamic Meteorology (METR 121 A, B), Remote Sensing
(METR 155), Weather Briefing (METR 170), Synoptic Weather and Analysis and
Forecasting (METR 171A, B), Mesoscale Meteorology (METR 172) and our capstone
course, senior thesis (METR 179).
Currently, we are using GEMPAK extensively for data analysis in classes (METR 121A,
B and 171A, B) and are producing daily model and observation products on SJSU
weather center site (http://www.met.sjsu.edu/weather). Students are also using IDV for
weather briefing (METR 170) and case studies for synoptic meteorology (METR 171).
Software such as GrADS, IDL and matlab are also employed in other classes. We are
striving to incorporate all necessary weather related software in our curricula.
Since November 2013, we have been running one EDEX server and two CAVE clients
using three refurbished PCs. Figure 1 shows the EDEX and CAVE system. Although
those PCs are functioning properly, they are slower and freeze or stop responding
frequently. The support from the Unidata Equipment Grant will make it possible to
purchase new PC Linux machines as described in section B for EDEX server and CAVE
client, as well as a high definition projector for instructional purpose. We are anticipating
that the new equipment will further enhance our education/research environment, as well
as community participation.
Figure 1: The first standalone EDEX and CAVE at SJSU Meteorology department.
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D. Added value to Unidata community at large
The Department of Meteorology and Climate Science provides the comprehensive BS
and MS degree. We are a unique department in that it integrates, meteorology, climate
science and related academic concentrations focusing on vital contemporary issues
through education, research and outreach. The AWIPS II system at SJSU will allow
students and faculty to test and evaluate the software in a learning/research environment.
We will also provide feedback and suggestions to the developers at NCEP or Raytheon
which may help to improve the capacity of the system.
With the capacity to run state-of-the-art equipment, our students may carry a strong skill
set of using these tools to their future careers in operational meteorology, research or
teaching in K-12. Outreach activities conducted by our department, and the student
chapter of AMS and their attendees will also benefit from the new system. The AWIPS II
EDEX may also be a server for other government agencies such as the NASA Ames
Research Center, the USGS Western Ecological Research Center, the Bay Area Air
Quality Management District (BAAQMD), and Cal Fire.
E. Relationship to existing computing facilities and resources, and departmental
plan
The existing weather analysis and forecasting classroom (Duncan Hall, Rm 614) is
composed of 12 Dell PCs configured to Windows 7 and one HP Laser printer. These
machines were purchased three years ago. A newer mapwall consists of eight 32-inch
TVs that display the real-time weather information via LDM products (i.e., model,
satellite, radar, upper air, surface obs and etc.). A newer LDM server controls all the data
receiving, feeding to downstream sites as well as processing data using GEMPAK and
publishing products on our department’s website. Numerous outside users access our
daily weather products at http://www.met.sjsu.edu/weather/. Currently all machines are
maintained by the college of science Information Technology (IT) department and our
own department IT (i.e., Dr. Sen Chiao) jointly. It is also anticipated that the new AWIPS
II server and CAVE clients will be installed and maintained the same way. The proposed
new AWIPS II server and CAVE clients will increase the number of terminals available
for students. Products from AWIPS II can be also displayed on our mapwall and
department’s website.
The Meteorology department has submitted an internal proposal to renovate an old
storage room (Duncan Hall, Rm 702) to be a multimedia classroom that also serves as a
computer room. This room measures roughly 24’ by 30’. Figure 2 shows the floor plans
outline for the room to be renovated. The proposal has been ranked at the top going out of
the college of science (cf. http://www.sjsu.edu/provost/budget/aad_fundingrequests/).
The total cost to renovate this room is estimated to be $60,500. That proposal is available
upon request.
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Figure 2: Duncan Hall Room 702 floor plan
2. Budget
University Contribution
PI In-Kind Time of One Person Month (Dr. Sen Chiao):
a. Configuration/Installation/management of AWIPS II for the Meteorology and
Climate Science department at SJSU.
b. Training students/faculty on AWIPS II and other Unidata software use.
c. Integration of AWIPS II into the Weather Analysis and Forecasting (METR
171) and Weather Briefing (METR 170) course curricula.
Requested Funding
Line Item Budget for Equipment Purchase:
1) 1 AWIPS II standalone server (Cybertron): 1 @
$1470.00
2) 5 CAVE clients (ASUS Essentio): 5 @ $879.99
$4400.00
3) BenQ W1070 projector: 1 @ $1086.41
$1087.00
4) 5 ASUS LED 24” Display: 5 @ $ 209.99
$1050.00
Total Equipment including tax/shipping:
$9107.00
Overhead/indirect costs 43.4%
$3952.00
(Federal Cognizant Agency DHHS approved rate as of 7/3/2013)
Total Equipment and Overhead
$13059.00
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3. Project Milestones
a. The equipment will be ordered within one month of award (May 2014).
b. Acquire and install equipment (July 2014).
c. Configuration and testing (August 2014).
d. Classes including METR 171 (Weather Analysis and Forecasting); METR 170
(Weather Briefing), and METR 61 (Intro to Meteorology) will be able to use the
new equipment (September 2014).
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